ROBOTECH: THE NEW AGE
by Kamiazi
Summary: The time is just after the SDF-1 comes back to earth from Pluto Space with the Zentradi right behind them. Earth creates another SDF and... well, read it and you will find out what happens.


1.1 Author's notes: I was extremely bored and just wanted to have some fun. I named the char's after real people (example: Ruby, named after my bestest best friend.) and I tried to get their personality as close as possible. And at the end: the officers 'pod is Khyron, so don't get real pissed off at it. And the pre-storyline is as follows: The time is after the SDF-1 returned to earth with it's civilian cargo, and the earth leaders decided to make a replica of it. The Captain has re-named the ship Gancore and is a very cunning strategist, if I missed anything majorly email me, Ok?  
  
  
  
"Promotions are as follows," the female voice on the intercom called out. "All members of the Red Squad, Black Squad, Blue Squad, and Yellow Squad. Report to Drill Hall D immediately. That is all."  
  
"Black Squad!" Corporal Coates shouted, raising his mug of paralizer. "That's us!"  
  
"Damn right!" Dan chimed in. "Putz! We're gonna be Master Corporals!"  
  
2 "Yes, and Ruby is gonna be our Sergeant!" Cotrell yelled. "All because we kicked some alien ass! Chug and go! We have new badges to put on!"  
  
Coates smiled. "And hardcore partying to do."  
  
"I have to go get in uniform," Dan calmed down a bit. "I'll talk to you all at the Hall."  
  
"Yeah, see ya dumbass," Coates calmed a bit as well, finishing his paralizer in one gulp.  
  
Dan did the same with his beer and turned to run out the door. As he reached out to grab it, the door suddenly swung open and smacked him right in the face. Ruby ran in and simply jumped over Dan's unconscious form. She was a little tall, but that didn't make her any less beautiful. She had long purple hair and a body Coates had more than once caught himself staring at openly.  
  
"Ruby!" Coates said to her. "You're our sergeant now!"  
  
"I know," she said.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"That was only his first flight…" she trailed off.  
  
'Oh, yes,' Coates thought. 'Him, her now ex-boyfriend.'  
  
"Well, it could have been you or even Sparky," he tried to comfort her.  
  
"Well, yes. And I did get mad and chased after that 'pod," Ruby sighed.  
  
Coates, not being a great comforter, just plain and simple kept his mouth shut. He didn't like that guy at all; he was an ass to everyone, including Ruby. He put his hand on her shoulder, took a deep breath and tried to think of something quick.  
  
"Why can't they find him and give him a proper cast off?" her frame shook.  
  
'Cause he's in about a million pieces,' Coates thought sourly. He desperately tried to think of something, and something in the next few seconds.  
  
"Well," he began. "They're still fighting out there."  
  
Ruby sat down and snatched Cotrell's drink from him.  
  
"That never stopped the excavation crews before. Why now?" she challenged.  
  
"Some dog fights are to be avoided by the crews. It's all-" Coates was cut short, the alarms were going off.  
  
  
  
The catcrewman waved Ruby's black Veritech back into the launching position. The launching procedure changed ever since the beginning of the Robotech war. Now it was build up power and release the brake, which was not nearly as confusing as the older way was. The catcrewman waved her to launch, and she gunned her reflex engine to full power and then released the brake. She felt the gee's of force as it hit her and then she vaulted into space.  
  
She was not even a minute's flight from a minor skirmish between two members of the Blue Squadron and several 'pods. She flew right into it and then opened up with a set of rockets. Three unlucky 'pods got blasted by them. The other three VTs had dealt with the other 'pods and she swung down to another set of 'pods that were closing in on the Gancore. Coates pulled up to her right and Dan to her left.  
  
"Let's blast 'em!" Coates shouted over the tacnet.  
  
He changed to Battloid: a huge human-shaped mecha that was capable of almost anything a person could do, at 7 times the scale! In his mech's right hand was his weapon of choice: The gattling gun. It had rounds capable of blowing the leg off a battloid, and Coates had mastered it to be able to remove an entire battlepod in one shot.  
  
Dan on the other hand, shifted to Guardian mode. It was the cross between Battloid and Fighter, and looked like a bird of prey. Dan had all of his ballistics visible, and Ruby knew that he wouldn't hesitate to use them. He got close enough to the 'pods to let loose a salvo of heatseekers.  
  
Ruby shifted to battloid and pulled up next to Coates, who was giving everything he had to all of 'pods with his gattling gun and rockets. Ruby noticed that he never did use his heatseekers, and now she wondered why. She opened up with everything she had as well, but she fired her heatseekers. The lone 'pod that was left stood there was an officers 'pod, and Coates gunned his engines towards it.  
  
"Come on! Lets go alien jackass!" He cried out. "I have a rocket with your name on it!"  
  
He unleashed another set of rockets, but the 'pod just dodged it effortlessly. Coates just veered to the right and released a salvo of heatseekers. The officer didn't have a chance as it was hit almost instantly.  
  
"Ok," he was breathing deeply. "That was a rush and a half."  
  
"I'd think so too," Ruby replied. "No more. You could have gotten killed."  
  
"We all could have," Coates replied. "It's just a matter if you let them or not."  
  
"Where did Dan go?" she asked almost unconsciously.  
  
"Right there," he replied.  
  
His mecha pointed towards the black guardian moving as fast as it can from a trio of 'pods. Coates shifted to fighter and took pursuit, with Ruby in his wake.  
  
"Hey, Ruby! Bet I can get two out of three of those 'pods before you can!"  
  
Ruby just smiled and gunned her engines and transformed to fighter. She unleashed a volley of heatseekers and Coates fired his gattling gun. His rounds tore through the torso of a 'pod, sending the "bubble" of it spinning wildly. The heatseekers found the other two before he could turn and blast another one.  
  
"Damn, you win," he said grudgingly.  
  
"I always do," she laughed.  
  
"So you do, so you do."  
  
"Black Three!" Came the bridge. "A blockage has occurred, use docking four instead of three."  
  
"Roger!" Ruby acknowledged.  
  
"Docking Four? Why?" Coates asked.  
  
"There is some blockage in three, we have to park in with white until they clear it I guess," she answered.  
  
"Whatever you say," he said.  
  
"Putz! Ruby! I'm in trouble! There is more 'pods headed this way!" Dan cried over the tacnet.  
  
"On my way!" Coates and Ruby both said at the same time.  
  
They both gunned their reflex engines and ran up and down the Gancore. Finally, they spotted him dodging a 'pod who wouldn't let up. Coates swung in behind it and blasted it to smithereens. Dan swung down and landed on the SDFs surface.  
  
"Dammit," he yelled. "My engines are not responding anymore!"  
  
"Don't go solo unless you know what you're doing, numbnuts!" Coates scolded.  
  
Ruby just silently listened to their casual insults.  
  
"Shut up, you show off all the time, no nuts!"  
  
"That's because I know what I'm doing, ya dumb shit!"  
  
Ruby began counting back from ten. The insult war went on until she got to zero. And that is when the bridge had to cut in:  
  
"Black One and Black Two!" the ship's Captain Havaa yelled. "What do you two think you're doing!?!"  
  
Both Dan and Coates shut up.  
  
"Dock, both of you!" the Captain shouted.  
  
"Yes sir!" Coates replied and flew off.  
  
"I can't, sir!" Dan smiled.  
  
  
  
Ruby docked in the White squad's hangar as she was told. But Coates stayed out, refusing to dock in the White hangar. She walked around to the Black hangar to see what was going on, and when she got there, she gasped.  
  
A Black VT was a pile of wreckage in the launching zone.  
  
She ran to a clean up crewman and demanded to know what happened.  
  
"An alien laser came through after another Black launched. I think it was Black Two. But that pilot didn't even have a hope, the Black behind him just went back and parked," the tall man explained.  
  
"Who was it?" she asked. It was either Cotrell or Sparky.  
  
"Black Five I think. Ask the catcrewman in the corner, he'll tell ya."  
  
"Thank you." Ruby began to walk off.  
  
"Which Black are you?" the man shouted after her.  
  
She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Black Three, why?"  
  
"Oh, we were told to hold Black One and Two here until Captain Havaa can harp on them."  
  
She just laughed and walked to the far corner of the hangar.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Coates was taking a grand tour of the Gancore in his now lightly armed VT. He was just flying past other patrols, flying in and out of formations, and more than once had the squad leaders chase him out. It was this type of thing that made him the delinquent he was.  
  
After a while, he sent back a message towards the Black hangar.  
  
"Black Hangar, this is Black One. Is the wreckage cleaned up yet?"  
  
"Black One, this is Black Hangar. No, not yet. Just hang tight."  
  
"Copy that, Black One out."  
  
Coates flew off in a huff. This was irritating him. And evac-ship came down and picked Dan up, but Coates could not get permission to dock with them. So in order to kill some time, he just flew around and made a nuisance of himself. He made his way to the back of the Gancore and just watched the virtual city through the glass. He could see the people just looking up and wondering why a VT was back here. He started to laugh when his scanners beeped.  
  
There was a few hundred dots on the screen and all of them registered as enemy 'pods!  
  
"Bridge, this is Black One! There is an alien attack force on its way to the rear of the SDF! Scramble all VTs! I say again! There is an alien attack force on its way to the rear of the SDF! Scramble all VTs!" Coates screamed into the tacnet.  
  
"Confirmed Black One! Help is on the way!" The Bridge called back.  
  
Coates held back with the turrets on the rear of the Gancore. He was too lightly armed to take them on in a dogfight, and there was just too many of them. He changed to Battloid and raised his gattling gun towards the incoming 'pods.  
  
White Squad made a fly by in fighter mode, then rushed towards the 'pods. Ruby's VT was right behind them, but she didn't go with them. Instead, she shifted to Battloid and landed next to Coates.  
  
"Captain Havaa's pissed," she said as if she didn't care. "He wants to have a little chat with you when they clear the mess."  
  
"I gathered that," he sounded happy with himself. "And what is blocking the docking area anyways?"  
  
"Cotrell was whacked before he even made it out of the hangar," she said, lowering her head.  
  
"Cotrell? Oh, man. Who's gonna tell his fiancée?"  
  
"The bad news bearers, or one of us. Either one," Ruby wasn't sure of either.  
  
The 'pods that White Squad couldn't keep back were now beginning to make shots at them. Coates swore and he opened fire.  
  
"Heartless jackass'!" he yelled. "Earth is full, go home!"  
  
"Black One and Three! Go and help clear the attackers from the launching areas! Docking Five and Docking Two need cleared. The turrets can only hold them back. Black Four is already out. He needs assistance!"  
  
"Roger that, Bridge. Coates, let's go!" Ruby cried out as she took off and transformed to fighter.  
  
"I have your wings, Sergeant!" Coates acknowledged.  
  
"I'm not a sergeant yet, corporal," she shot back.  
  
"Well, sor-ry," he said sarcastically, lifting off and shifting to fighter as well.  
  
They got to Sparky just as he used his last salvo of heatseekers. He began to take evasive actions just as Coates joined the fray in Battloid, firing his gattling gun. Several 'pods exploded as he went by, and several 'pods also went after him as well. Ruby came in from behind them and decimated most of them, but the three that remained started to open fire on Coates.  
  
"Dammit!" He cried. "I evade them forever! Ruby! Sparky! Do something!"  
  
"On my way," Sparky acknowledged.  
  
He transformed to gaurdian and let loose his final set of rockets. Two out of the three 'pods went down, but one managed to get a good shot on Coates' VT. He transformed to Gaurdian and slammed on the brakes. The 'pod flew past him just to turn sharply and receive a set of heatseekers. It went up in a small fireworks-like explosion.  
  
"Stupid alien," Coates smirked. "Haven't you heard the quote: Mess with the best, Die like the rest?"  
  
"Ha, ha! Or Screw with me and die mutha f*cka?" Sparky tried to joke.  
  
"Sparky," both Ruby and Coates said at the same time.  
  
"What damage is done to your VT, Coates?" Ruby asked.  
  
"I have a damaged ass. The stupid thing shot me in the ass!" Coates replied.  
  
"Here comes Green Squad. We can dock on Black now," Sparky said.  
  
  
  
Captain Havaa was waiting for the pilots of Black One and Black Three in the Black hangar. He was originally here to yell at Black One for disobeying his direct orders, but since he had both warned them about a rear attack, and helping Black Three and Five, he was in for an award.  
  
A damaged VT was wheeled in from the evac-bay, and he knew it wasn't the delinquent. After about another ten minutes, three Blacks requested permission to dock. The first one to come in was Black Five, then Black Three, and finally Black One. Black Five's nerd pilot saluted as he walked past. Then a woman came out of the other ship and a pissed looking man from the other ship.  
  
"Pilots Beth and Coates! Report to Captain Havaa immediately!" the CO of the hangar yelled above the roar of the reflex engines.  
  
The woman approached him first, standing at rigid attention and saluting. Havaa returned the salute. Then the delinquent walked up, stopped and stood at rigid attention and saluted as well. This time Havaa didn't return the salute.  
  
"Coates! As you well know, you deliberately disobeyed my orders to dock! And then you create a disturbance amongst our patrols! But, you did warn up on an attack at the rear. That is the only area we can't scan with our radar, but is heavily manned and guarded with turrets and artillery of every kind. You will be let off the hook this time, but next time I'll have you court-martialed! Do you get me?!"  
  
"I get you, sir!" he yelled, obviously relieved.  
  
"And you, Beth," Havaa continued. "Keep a shorter leash on him from now on. You're now Black Squad leader. Dismissed."  
  
  
  
Ruby's mouth went slack. Squad leader? How can she live with that? But with people like Dan and Coates on her side, how can she refuse? They all can be smacked around easily, especially Coates. She began to wonder why, but was interrupted by an explosion.  
  
Coates was running towards a fire in the middle of the hangar. She began to run as well, but stopped as soon as she saw what happened. A rocket was dropped while rearming Sparky's ship. Coates was now helping them carry out three men, killed in the blast. He was not looking too well himself, he was pale in the face, and was openly staring at the man he was carrying.  
  
After the three men were out everyone formed up for roll call, since the bodies were too charred to identify them. Coates walked up to Ruby with a grim face, and looking even worse. 'Are his lips blue?' she thought.  
  
"Come on, Ruby, I need to go home and get some sleep. I f-feel tired."  
  
She looked at him, then looked into the corner where the infirmary for the Black hangar. She grabbed him by the ear and hauled him into the infirmary.  
  
  
  
"You just came down with a common case of the black bends," the on- duty doctor had said. "Just get some fluids in your system and about twelve hours of sleep and you should be fine."  
  
"Yes, sir. Thank you, with none to Ruby here," he said quietly so she wouldn't hear him.  
  
He walked out and hit Ruby in the shoulder to get her attention. She looked up from her thoughts.  
  
"Let's go," he said impatiently. "I want to stop by the bar before I go home and sleep away my duty time."  
  
She got up and put her arm around his. He immediately broke out in a sweat.  
  
"How about some dinner first, then you can go home and sleep," she smiled.  
  
"Ah, how about I pay for it then? Since you did save my ass back there," he countered, not trusting his answers at the moment.  
  
"Are you asking me out?" she teased. She knew he couldn't handle women well.  
  
"Eep! No!"  
  
"Just bugging you! Ha, ha, ha! Relax!" she laughed.  
  
"Please don't do that to me!" he breathed deep breaths he was so relieved.  
  
  
  
Coates walked into his little home in the pilots' barracks. His little pug greeted him at the door, licking his hand furiously. He batted the dog down gently, and stumbled into the kitchen and raided his fridge for a beer. He cracked one open and took a big drink.  
  
He then went into his living room and turned on his stereo. AC/DC was playing on the CD player, and he sat down in his over-sized chair.  
  
'Why did that just go pang?' he thought to himself. 'She said to relax, but I just felt real bad. What the-'  
  
His golden pug jumped into his lap and began to wash his face. He picked up the overweight dog and placed him next to him in the chair and began to stroke him.  
  
'What the hell is going on? Maybe my mind finally registered that I love her? Or just- dammit! I love her.' He concluded.  
  
"Right Rolly Polly? I must love her, don't I?"  
  
The dog just looked at him as if he were an idiot and Coates just scratched the dog behind the ears.  
  
  
  
Ruby stood outside Coates' home, debating if she should bother him. She ran through this a few minutes before, just say hi, may I come in, that good stuff. But, for some reason, she couldn't bring himself to ring the buzzer. Why?  
  
She took a deep breath and pressed the button. Coates' dog went wild barking, and she could hear Coates tell him to shut up. He opened the door and stood back with a surprised look on his face. He looked at her with a look of utter disbelief, and then quickly composed himself.  
  
"Uh, hi, Ruby. Um, what brings you here?" he stammered.  
  
"Well, I just wanted to know if you wanted to, um, talk for a while. Is that Ok?" she was having a little trouble herself.  
  
"Uh, sure. Come in, come in," he wasn't sure what she wanted exactly, but he was going to find out.  
  
Ruby walked into his house in a huff. It was in its usual state: messy but smelling good, and Ruby wanted to know how he did it. His dog was crawling up and down her leg, smothering her hand in wet dog slobber. She knelt down a moment and patted him on the head as Coates hurriedly cleaned up, with the occasional crash here and there. After a few minutes, Coates finally invited her in proper.  
  
  
  
The next day, Coates was feeling great about himself, even though Ruby didn't leave until six in the morning and he was supposed to get about twelve hours of sleep. But with the EVE (Enhanced Video Emulation) in effect now, he had little hope of getting to sleep anytime soon. He had just crawled into bed when his phone rang.  
  
"Hello?" he drawled.  
  
"You son-of-a-bitch! You slept with my daughter didn't you!?!" came an angry mans voice.  
  
'Ruby's father,' Coates thought. 'Crap, now I have to deal with him too.'  
  
"Well!?" the man flared. "Did you!?"  
  
"Ya know, now is not a great time. I just came down with the black bends, and I need to get some sleep myself. I did not touch your daughter. All we did is talk about this and that."  
  
The man yelled something unintelligible.  
  
"Yeah, whatever. Good bye now."  
  
He hung up and yanked the cord from the wall.  
  
"Mr. P, you coming up?" he patted the side of the bed.  
  
The dog jumped next to him as he wound down and fell asleep.  
  
  
  
Two days after that, Coates was back on active duty, and so was Dan, since his VT had gotten repaired. Ruby had profusely apologized to Coates the day they both met in the hangar, and Coates said it was no bother, just as long as it didn't happen again.  
  
"It won't happen again! I promise!" she said quickly.  
  
"I bet," was all he said.  
  
"Squad leader Beth! Message for you from the bridge!" a catcrewman called.  
  
"Be right there!" She yelled as she turned to Coates. "I'll be back in a minute. Don't suit up until I'm done, ok?"  
  
"Alright. But make it quick. I want to fly here!" he yelled after her.  
  
Ruby ran to the other side of the hangar and smiled to the catcrewman who was holding the phone. She grabbed it from his hands and nodded for him to leave.  
  
"This is Beth," she said.  
  
"Sergeant Beth," Captain Havaa was on the other line. "You are being sent out to patrol with White squad today. Keep Black One quiet until we can give other orders, got it?"  
  
"Yes, sir!" she acknowledged.  
  
"That is all," he hung up.  
  
Ruby did the same and walked back over to Coates. She smiled sweetly as she began to give him a speech.  
  
"Captain Havaa said that we are going on patrol with White squad today. If you make so much as a minor gesture to them, I'll tear your balls off." She lost her smile. "Got it?!"  
  
"Yessir, er, ma'am!" he stammered, cowering.  
  
"Good, now gear up and go. I'll meet you out there."  
  
  
  
Coates was the first to launch this time. It's usually Ruby who goes first, but ever since she got Squad leader, things just haven't been the same. First it was the launch order: now they all go according to their number. And since he was Black One, he had to launch first. And now that she had given him that little speech, he wasn't about to disobey her. God! She knew where he lived!  
  
He followed the catcrewman's signals and taxied his way to the launch area. The air seal opened up and he gunned his engines to full power, then released the brakes. He shot out into space just as the air seal closed.  
  
And what he saw amazed him.  
  
There it was, the alien battle cruiser, looking bigger than the Gancore. It had to be about five miles long, and really tall. It looked almost like a cucumber, only it had lots of things around it, like 'pods that were coming for the rear of the SDF.  
  
"Bridge! This is Black One! There is an alien battle ship headed for the rear of the SDF! SCRAMBLE ALL VALKYRIES!"  
  
"Copy that Black One. Catseye recon ships have visual confirmation on that. Sounding general alert!" the Commander replied.  
  
Dan and Ruby came up and joined him in his course to the rear of the ship, with Sparky pulling up the rear. They got to the rear and changed to battloid, then raised their rifles. They were now realizing that they were as good as dead.  
  
"That's a lot of 'pods," Dan gawked.  
  
"I see," Coates was rapt.  
  
"COATES!" Ruby yelled through the tacnet. "That speech I gave you in the hangar applies to this situation as well!"  
  
"Eek! Yes, sir- er, ma'am!"  
  
Coates was still terrified, but more so of Ruby than of the alien 'pods that were headed his way. He steeled himself as the first rush of 'pods came into range. All of Black squad's gattling guns and rockets were out in minutes. The 'pods were so thick that no shot missed. White squad was working in from the sides in fighter mode, but wasn't making it very far. A turret next to Coates went up by a crashed 'pod and his battloid flew a few feet.  
  
"Ah! Crap!" he yelled as his gattling gun flew from his battloid's hand.  
  
He scrambled to up to get his gun back but three 'pods were bearing down on him. Another turret went up as he flew past it and three more 'pods saw his plight and took chase. He finally got to his gattling gun just as Sparky opened fire on the 'pods that were right behind him.  
  
"Thanks, Sparky! I owe you one," he breathed deeply.  
  
"Any time. You would have done the same for me," he responded and then turned to open up on some more 'pods.  
  
Coates opened fire on some more 'pods. Not one of them turned against him. It seems that the turrets were the primary targets, and the VTs were just the icing on the cake, above and beyond the objective.  
  
"Coates! I need help here!" Dan called. "Too many 'pods! I'm out of ballistics!"  
  
"Hang tight Dan! I'm coming!"  
  
Coates flew through the mass murder site, and into a heated melee where there was about twenty 'pods against Dan's lightly armed VT. Coates came in from behind and released his final dozen heatseekers. Now only seven 'pods remained and those were dealt with easily by Dan's and Coates' gattling guns. Both of them flew off to see even more 'pods coming out of the battle ship.  
  
"This is hopeless!" Sparky yelled. "I only have three strings of gattling rounds left!"  
  
"I know!" Coates chimed in. "I'm not one to give up that easily, but I know a hopeless situation when I see one!"  
  
"Black squad! Dock and re-arm!" bridge called. "Blue and Green squads are on their way!"  
  
"Thank you, sir!" Dan said gratefully.  
  
Coates didn't hear that though, he was too busy dealing with an officer's 'pod to notice. He had no ballistics and next to no gattling rounds. The only other way he knew how to deal with this thing was to tear it apart with his battloid's hands, but the thing wouldn't let up on it's firing long enough to get close to it. Ruby saved the day when she came in from behind it and thrust her hand through the "bubble" of the 'pod and created a gaping hole in the side. Then the alien's blood flew out the hole as Ruby squeezed the life from it.  
  
"Coates!" She said. "Let's go and dock!"  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" he yelled and flew off.  
  
  
  
Ruby landed and taxied to the emergency re-loading station. It was only five minutes and she was completely re-armed! This robotechnology was some impressive stuff! It was about another two minutes to assure the catcrewman that she was ok to fly, that all her VT's systems were ok.  
  
Coates was already back outside with Dan, and were waiting around the SDF for herself and Sparky to launch. She was then given the go to make her way out towards the main launching area, and then told to launch. Her reflex engines made a humming noise through her "thinking cap" as she power them up to full and released the brakes.  
  
She blasted out into space and fell in with the other two. Sparky was right behind her, as he had launched out the other launching bay. None of them said a thing as they flew back into the melee, this time fully reloaded and ready to kill all the other aliens.  
  
Coates broke off and opened fire with his gattling gun in fighter mode. He made a few strafing runs and knocked off a few 'pods, but wasn't killing them fast enough to make a difference. Sparky and Dan were giving the 'pods everything they had and were knocking out a lot of 'pods as well, but still there was too many. Ruby, on the other hand, worked on finding the other squads.  
  
"Green Leader, this is Black Leader! Can you hear me?!" she almost screamed into the tacnet.  
  
A lot of static came through as a reply. Her VT could find all of the Green's IFF's, but could not get a tacnet signal. There was just too many 'pods, the signal couldn't get through.  
  
"Coates!" Sparky yelled. "I need you to get these things away from me!"  
  
"Coming Sparky!" Coates acknowledged.  
  
His VT came down and launched all of his rockets at the 'pods right behind Sparky's VT trying to get a clean shot on him. All seven 'pods went down and then Ruby came down to join them in the main fray. She had just realized she was just spectating.  
  
"About time, Ruby!" Coates yelled. "I need help here. I think there is a thin spot over this way, I saw a green VT through this mess."  
  
  
  
Coates and Ruby flew over the entire battle to where Coates was talking about, and he was right. There it was, all five of the green VT's were there, blasting 'pods this way and that. Coates fired a set of heatseekers at a 'pods who was about to blast a green VT.  
  
"I don't know who you are, but thanks," the pilot said.  
  
"Just make sure you do the same for me one of these days," Coates replied.  
  
Coates swooped down with Ruby at his side and cleared out more 'pods with just the gattling gun. They finally had gained some ground, and all the VT's confidence began to rise. The VT's that were in battloid lifted off and switched to fighter, and joined the two Blacks in clearing out more and more 'pods. Finally, Coates' ammo gave out and had to resort to his dozen and a half heatseekers.  
  
"I have to head in! I'm fresh out of gattling gunnery!" he called to Ruby. "Call Dan and Sparky in and help you. I have to go reload!"  
  
With that he took off out of the fray with the green VT that he had saved earlier escorting him despite the Green leader's orders. Coates flew out and over the entire mass of 'pods with the other VT dealing with all any 'pods that detached to attack the lone black Veritech. He came down next to Dan and Sparky, who were holding off a nasty amount of 'pods.  
  
"Yo! Green VT, can you go down and help those two Blacks down there? I'll be back in about ten minutes!" Coates asked.  
  
"No problem," the Green replied.  
  
Coates flew away from all the 'pods, and docked in the Black hangar. He jumped out of his VT to stretch, and came face to face with Captain Havaa.  
  
"Master Corporal Coates," the Captain said as Coates snapped to attention. "I have been watching the catseye transmissions and I must say I'm quite impressed. Your little strategy has enabled all the VT's to smash most of the alien forces into oblivion, all because you had found out how to get past the alien wall. For that alone, you and your squad is getting some time off. I think you deserve it, but you can't start until this mess is cleared, do you get me!?!"  
  
"I get you, sir!"  
  
"Get out there!"  
  
Coates saluted and hastily got back in his VT. He had been reloaded all the little holes in his VT were patched up. He taxied towards the launch area, and was given the signal to launch. He put all the juice he could in the engines and then released the brake. He flew out into the great void of space and made his way back to the melee. The Numbered squads were now in the fray, helping out the Colored squads deal all the death they could to the aliens. Almost all the VTs on the Gancore were out here now, and maintenance crews were going over time trying to get the turrets operational. Coates flew down and unleashed a dozen rockets at a bunch of 'pods who were bearing down on a White VT. He didn't even wait for the VT to answer; he just kept on going.  
  
"Coates!" he heard Ruby's voice. "About time! You need to fill in! All three of the other Blacks are out of ammo themselves. Hold out until we come back!"  
  
"Copy that," he acknowledged. "Be prepared for a surprise when you get in there though."  
  
He saw three Black VTs fly out of the fray and go towards the front of the left side of the ship. Coates then saw what the Captain had meant about his strategy, the VT's were now blasting the 'pods at an extraordinary rate, and soon the aliens will either retreat or get killed. But soon enough, the remaining 'pods retreated, and Coates was called by the bridge.  
  
"Black Squad, you have permission to dock. You've earned a break," the bridge commander said to him.  
  
"No problem, I'm going!" he said excitedly.  
  
He flew around the left wing of the Gancore and almost ran head-on with Ruby's ship.  
  
"Hey, Coates," Ruby called. "Where are you going?"  
  
"We just permission from the bridge to head in and rest up. God knows how much we need it!"  
  
"Alright then," Ruby said. "Black Squad, re-dock!"  
  
Coates didn't say anything. He was too tired to care right now, and chances are good that they were as well. He docked first, along with Ruby in the other station, then Sparky and Dan.  
  
Coates climbed out of the VT and walked down the steps that were provided for him. He walked towards Ruby's ship next to his and waited for her to get out as well.  
  
"Hey! How was it while we were gone?" she asked.  
  
"Great! Almost all of the VTs on the SDF were out there," he was half- asleep.  
  
"Cool. Hey, want to go out and do something after a nap?" she offered.  
  
"Or how about maybe two or three naps. God I'm tired!"  
  
"I know that, you are almost asleep standing there. Just let me one thing before you go: would you mind if I came to your place as well."  
  
Coates was raised an eyebrow, and looked at her with a confused look on his face.  
  
"You live closer to the hangar than I do. I just want to get some shut eye without my father going ballistic," she explained.  
  
  
  
Coates woke up on his couch with his dog on the floor next to him. He looked around bleary-eyed for a moment, then his eyes adjusted to the sight of Ruby making toast and eggs. He got up and stumbled into the kitchen.  
  
"Well it's about time sleepy head," she said with out even turning around. "There was no eggs so I called up that corner store and had the man there bring me some. He asked me if I was some maid that you had hired to clean up his house or something. What's that all about?"  
  
"I was thinking of hiring a maid at one point to help keep this place clean," he said slowly and very groggily.  
  
"Well, now that I'm here, I'll do it for you. How can you live in this mess?" she went on.  
  
"How long have you been up?" he asked.  
  
"Almost an hour. Why?"  
  
"And why are you doing this for me?" he asked.  
  
"Well, to make a long story short, my dad called and I answered it, now I'm slightly homeless. Do you mind if I stay with you?"  
  
"W-what?" he was shocked.  
  
"Can I stay with you, please?" she batted her eyes at him.  
  
"You know damn well you're welcome here anytime you want," he almost yelled. "Just as long as you don't completely ruin the whole house."  
  
"I won't, I won't. I promise I won't!" she turned and hugged him.  
  
Something snapped inside Coates that made him wonder if this was going to be anything like he first thought. He stepped back looked her in the eye, then turned to go shower.  
  
  
  
Ruby stood there for quite a while after Coates had left. Something had snapped inside her as well, and it was a good thing her father had cut her off. 'This will be a little awkward, but I think I can manage,' she thought.  
  
Coates came out of his shower with just a towel wrapped around him, he ran to his bedroom to get changed, while she finished making a nine- course breakfast. She had set the table with what clean dishes he had left and then turned to go get in the shower herself.  
  
She showered and changed into the spare clothes she had here just in case from a long time ago. When she walked into the kitchen, Coates was standing over the sink, washing the five tons of dishes that were dirty from sometime last month. She smiled then hip checked him out of the way and took over. She finished them in half the time Coates had taken to do the silverware.  
  
"Uh, Ruby. What about clothes and stuff like that? Should I go and get your stuff, or should I send Dan or Sparky to do it?"  
  
"That's no problem. I have to get new one's anyways," she smiled.  
  
Coates had a look on his face that said: 'Oh, god. There goes my next half of a years paycheck!'  
  
  
  
They had spent their first day off in the Gancity Mall. Choosing new clothes for Ruby. Since Ruby had no money on her, Coates had to go and get an advance on his next paycheck in order to pay for it all. Coates was now walking into another clothing store with about seven tons of clothes in his arms.  
  
"Ruby, you have enough clothes to last for the next year! Can we please just leave? I don't have that much money left, and I need to get some supper for tonight!" he wined.  
  
"Oh relax, you baby," she told him. "I need some clothes for when I'm just out walking around now."  
  
He moaned.  
  
"Just this one last store, then we can go home, ok?"  
  
The pile of clothes bounced up and down as he nodded.  
  
"Good, now get your plastic ready."  
  
She went through the store's invatory and picked out the three most expensive suits she could find, then added them to the pile. Coates' knees threatened to give out soon.  
  
"That comes to $589.76," the clerk announced.  
  
Coates almost dropped the pile of clothes! 'I'm gonna go in debt soon! Just hope she don't remember the 'extras'! God help me then!' he thought.  
  
  
  
Coates managed to get the clothes back to his place with out dropping them or getting them dirty, which earned him a hug. To him, that was payment enough, but to her, that wasn't enough. She made him his favorite treats: Chocolate-covered Rice Crispy Squares, and then a five-course meal for him alone. Then a grand time out in the nighttime EVE in the park. They talked about this and that, what they wanted when they finished with the RDF and what kind of person they would like to marry.  
  
All in all, Coates was completely missing what she was hinting at, and she was missing at what he was hinting at.  
  
  
  
The briefing room was full as all the colored squadrons were in there. Coates and Ruby walked into the room and spotted Dan and Sparky, who had saved a pair of seats for them.  
  
Ruby sat down and motioned Coates to sit next to her.  
  
"So, what do you think we're in here for?" she asked.  
  
"I haven't got a clue. Here comes the Commander now, so I guess we're about to find out."  
  
Ruby looked towards the door and a fat man in a RDF uniform walked in. She was utterly disgusted by his sheer fatness!  
  
"I assume roll call was taken, so I will just get to the point so you people can get on with your lives," his cheeks jiggled as he spoke. "All the colored squads are going on an offensive movement as of tomorrow at 0900 hours. We have finally located the damn aliens are going to make a move to kill them all. You all have twenty hours to do whatever you want, then we have to saddle up and kick some ass. You will be given some money to get you through the night as a moral booster. All mission details will be given to you as we see fit. Any questions?"  
  
No one said anything or moved.  
  
"Dismissed!"  
  
  
  
"Yo, putz! I'm going home to see my wife! Talk to you later!" Dan called over his shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, see ya, dumbass," he retorted.  
  
Coates stood around the corner of the doorway waiting for Ruby. She was one of the last ones out of the room, since all the squad leaders were to stay behind for additional orders. She walked past him with out even noticing him, at least until she realized that he was right behind her, imitating her stiff walk. She got a pissed look and he just laughed really hard.  
  
"Heh, heh. I just wanted to have some fun," he wiped a tear from his eye. "So, what was so important all the squad leaders had to stay back?"  
  
"A bunch of us are going to be armed with a special type of bomb. We have to plant it on the battle cruiser and get out before they all go off," she explained. "He said that more instructions will be given tomorrow." She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "So what are you going to do tonight?"  
  
"I have to get in contact with someone," he said. "And you know who that someone is?" he smiled.  
  
"And who is that person," she whispered.  
  
He brushed her lips. "You."  
  
  
  
The next day in the Black hangar, everything was in turmoil. Catcrewman were doing this and that, Sparky was checking everything on his VT to make sure it would work on this flight, and Dan was trying desperately to calm his wailing wife. Sparky looked out of the cockpit of his VT when Coates and Ruby walked in with their arms around each other, and almost choked on his gum! Dan looked up to see the two of them part and head for each other's VTs.  
  
Coates climbed up the ladder and looked inside to make sure Dan didn't pull anything stupid, then climbed in. He began the start-up sequence when Ruby popped her head over the edge. He sat there for a minute, then smiled, leaning forward and kissing her.  
  
"Good luck," she said then climbed down and walked off to her VT.  
  
  
  
Ruby watched as Coates taxied his way in front of her. She was concerned about this mission; something just didn't feel right. The catcrewman waved him to launch and the roar of the VT's engines got louder, then was gone as he launched. The catcrewman waved her forward and prepare to launch. In the neighboring launch/docking area, Dan had just launched, and Sparky was now following up in. They both got the launching wave at the same time.  
  
She juiced up her engines until they were going at full, the released the brakes, and the force hit her as she blasted into space. Coates had kept it slow so her and Sparky could catch up.  
  
"Attention all VTs: There is a special bomb on each of the following VT's and must be protected at all costs until the bomb that persons bomb is launched," the fat commander called from the SDF. "Those VT's are: Yellow One, Black Three and One, and White Two and Four. I say again, these VT's must be protected at all costs…"  
  
He went through the list again.  
  
  
  
Coates had the same bad feeling about this whole mission as well, but he didn't have time to think about it right now. The entire Green squad took up defensive positions around him and Ruby. The Green VT that he had saved a few days ago pulled up next to him.  
  
"I repay that debt I owe you today," he called. "And then we're even."  
  
"Just make sure you do it before I launch the bomb, alright?"  
  
"No problem," the VT pilot said as he joined formation.  
  
Coates was now feeling worse about this, but he still couldn't explain it. He looked to his side and saw Ruby with a dark look on her face.  
  
"Hey, Ruby!" Coates called out. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. It's just this mission is giving me this bad-" the fat commander cut her off.  
  
"Black! You are to maintain radio silence!"  
  
"These are tacnets, sir," Coates yelled back.  
  
"We don't know if the enemy can listen to them or not yet!"  
  
Coates didn't say anything to that.  
  
The rest of the flight to the designated coordinates was unnerving. He had never thought that he would ever think that neither. It wasn't until the first warning came in from the catseye recon ship that he was so bored of flying.  
  
"Black and Green! There is an estimated 500 'pods headed your way!"  
  
"Green, break and hunt!" Green leader called.  
  
"Black, stay on present course," Ruby said.  
  
Then other warnings came in from other recon ships, and then the target came into eyesight. Coates was just as rapt as he was the first time he had seen it, only now he knew why he had a bad feeling about this. The only reason the aliens had never been successful is because the humans were on the defensive. And that's when you're allowed to fight dirty. Now it was their turn to deal some death to the humans.  
  
"Bogy," Sparky said. "Looks like an officers 'pod. Should I go and blast it?"  
  
"No, hold your present course!" Ruby snapped.  
  
Coates wasn't all too fond of having other people defending him when he couldn't help, and now he felt he should disobey orders. "Ruby, let's dump the package soon so we can help a little."  
  
"I know where you are coming from," she paused. "Let's do it."  
  
The entire Black squad swung down and the two unleashed their special bombs. Then Coates turned and ran headlong into the middle of a heated melee with a bunch of 'pods versus a few Whites. He swooped down and unleashed a volley of gattling rounds at any 'pod that came near. The 'pods then turned on him and took chase, leaving the Whites to lift off and blast the 'pods from behind.  
  
Coates shifted to battloid and unleashed another string of rounds on another rush of 'pods that were swarming out of the cucumber-ship. Although he nailed most of them, the few that did get out just went beyond him and into another melee in the distance. He chased after them while he transformed to fighter and began to pick them off with his rockets. After wiping the last one he turned and joined the melee. What he didn't know was an officers 'pods was following him.  
  
  
  
Ruby was in the heated melee that Coates was now joining. She had wasted all of her heatseekers and was now about to launch her last set of rockets when Coates blasted past and knocked out her target. She turned and re-targeted on another 'pods when she noticed that the officers 'pod was following him. She gave chase to the thing and shot her final set of rockets but missed, only knocking out a few other 'pods. Cursing, she flew over top of it and changed to battloid, then fell on top of it and smashed an arm off of it with her gattling gun.  
  
The 'pod slid out of her grasp with ease and then turned and tried to fire at her, but Coates came down behind it and blasted off the turret thing on its head. Now the VT's were clearing out the 'pods with ease, and the alien defensive looked futile. After the last 'pod exploded, Coates and Ruby were standing off with this one 'pod.  
  
It turned its last arm and fired at Coates, who never expected the shot and got hit head on in the cockpit. His VT exploded, killing him.  
  
Ruby saw this and got real pissed off with the alien and rushed it. At that same moment, more 'pods came out from behind the derbies and renewed the assault, the only few pilots did survive the initial attack didn't have a chance in combat, but fought on anyways. All of those who fought went down in no time flat, including both Dan and Sparky. Ruby was the only VT left, and she realized this as the 'pods gathered around to watch the officers 'pod take on the lone VT. She didn't even have a chance to look up, the 'pod just shot her once with an alien ballistic.  
  
  
  
From the bridge, Captain Havaa watched the final VT explode.  
  
"All charges are on the alien ship sir," a member of the crew announced.  
  
"Blast them," he ordered… 


End file.
